Curved corner clamp

ABSTRACT

A clamp for grasping a major extent of rounded corner of a vehicle hatch or door opening, and providing an anchor-like extended grip by which re-positioning forces are evenly applied to the rounded corner. This grip assures that the entire curved corner retains or is returned to its original shape as it is adjusted into alignment with the rest of the opening. This in turn facilitates smooth and continuous replacement of the elastomeric weather seal around the opening to restore a completely functional seal about the hatch or door when it is closed.

PRIOR APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/676,169 filed 29 Apr. 2005, and the entire content of thatapplication is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a unique corner clamp apparatus that is usefulin automotive body repair. There has always been some need forrealigning and/or pulling the framework around door openings, andparticularly hatchback openings, in various automotive vehicles. Thelocation of hatchbacks at the rear of a vehicle, and generally above therear bumper, is often exposed to “rear end” collisions during which all,or at least a corner, of the hatchback opening is damaged, displacedand/or deformed. The curved shape of these corners is formed by matedsections of metal sheeting, connected by what is commonly called a“pinch weld” which is formed to extend around and define the hatchbackopening. The corners of such opening are formed in approximately a 90°curve of desired radius, and are part of a continuous aperture intowhich a door (usually termed a “hatch”) is mounted. Such a door, in mostcases, is hinged at the top so as to swing vertically between closed andopen positions. The edges of the pinch weld provide a spline-like shapeextending about and outward from the hatchback opening.

A flexible seal (e.g. a weather seal that is usually elastomeric) issecured around the opening, usually surrounding the pinch weld,including the rounded corners of the hatch frame, and thisconfiguration, when damaged, must be carefully restored at a body repairshop, to again achieve proper alignment and sealing of the hatchbackdoor. The most common damage is displacement of a part of the hatchbackframe inward of the opening it forms, and particularly at the cornersthat are difficult to grasp and pull in the direction(s) necessary torestore the shape of the hatchback aperture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a unique clamp for grasping a majorextent of such a displaced rounded corner, and providing an anchor-likeextended grip by which re-positioning forces are evenly applied to therounded corner. This grip assures that the entire curved corner retainsits shape as it is adjusted into alignment with the rest of the dooraperture. This in turn facilitates smooth and continuous replacement ofthe elastomeric weather seal around the door aperture to restore acompletely functional seal about the hatchback door when it is closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a lower right corner of a typicalhatchback aperture;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the two curved plates making up the clampof the invention, arranged side-by-side;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the curved clamp platesarranged end-to-end;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the clamp plates assembled and attached toa curved corner portion of a hatchback aperture, and including a portionof the hook of a pulling rig.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a lower right corner (as viewed from a vehicle rearexterior) of a hatchback opening such as found on a modernSports/Utility Vehicle. The corner includes a curved portion 10, usuallyof about 90° degrees of curvature and extent as shown, which is aso-called “pinch weld” 12 between adjoining upper and lower (or inner &outer) sheet metal parts 13, 14 of the rear of the auto body. Theseparts form the door or hatch frame 15, and present an outward protrudingrim at the exterior of the opening. A weather seal, commonly anelastomeric length having a generally U-shaped cross-section, is fittedover and around the pinch weld 12 at the rim of the door frame, topresent a seal which is pressed (usually all around) against the hatchinterior when the hatch (or door) is closed. A portion of such a seal isseen pulled back from the rim in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the two plates of the unique clamp, which arepreferred to be about the same in width. The longer or base plate 20 iscurved such that its inner radius corresponds to the outer surface ofthe curved corner of the rim. The shorter or inner plate 22 is alsocurved, such that its outer surface corresponds to the curvature of theinner surface of the base plate. When the base plate and inner plate arefitted together (FIG. 4) a pair of through holes 20A and 22A in theplates are aligned, and will receive a bolt and nut fastener 35.Tightening of this fastener will cause the plates to exert a clampingforce on the curved corner of the rim of hatch opening, if the clamp isfitted onto pinch weld 12.

A series of tapped holes 27 are formed through the inner edge of theinner plate, and a series of gripping set screws 28 with pointed tipsare fitted into these holes. Preferably these set screws are of thesocket head type, for ease of adjusting the pressure they exert. Acorresponding set of conical bottom holes 30 are formed along the inneredge of base plate 20, in alignment with the pointed tips of the setscrews, to accommodate the pointed tips of the set screws 28 if theypierce the pinch weld during application of the clamp. In addition apair of flat-tipped socket head adjusting screws 33 are threaded throughholes in plate 22, near the opposite edge of that plate from thegripping set screws 28.

As seen in FIG. 4, the outer end of the outer or base plate 25 extendsbeyond the inner plate 22, and in that outer end there is formed anelongated aperture 35, sized to receive the hook 37 of a pulling tool orrig, as shown in FIG. 4. The size and shaped of the elongated apertureis selected to accept any of various sizes and shapes of hooks commonlyused with pulling rigs. In use the assembled clamp grasps the curvedpinch-weld rim at the corner of a van, hatch, or door opening, extendingthis grip around the curve in a manner not possible with prior artclamps which are unable to attach because of the extended radius of thepinch-weld corners. The individually adjustable tips or teeth on screws28 assure secure attachment of the clamp to the curved corner portionsof the pinch weld. Using appropriate direction of pulling force throughhook 37, the unique clamp of this invention pulls the pinch-welded rimback to its correct location so, when replaced on the rim, the weatherstrip seals correctly to the hatch. This procedure, enabled by theunique clamp can save hours of metal work.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention thatis defined in the appended claims.

1. A clamp for gripping and pulling edges of sheet metal formed along aradius to define an opening of predetermined shape, said clampcomprising a rectangular base plate having a longer surface curved alongits length width such that the inner radius of the curved platecorresponds to an outer surface of a curved corner of the opening, oneend of said base plate providing a first clamping surface, a shorterinner plate also curved such that its outer surface corresponds to theinner curved surface of the base plate, said outer surface of said innerplate providing a second clamping surface opposite sid first clampingsurface aligned holes, one in each of said plates, and a bolt and nutfastener extended through said holes, whereby tightening of saidfastener will cause the end edges of said plates to exert a clampingforce on a curved corner of a hatch opening, a series of tapped holesformed through the end edge of the inner plate, and a series of grippingset screws fitted into said tapped holes for individual adjustmentagainst the pinch weld.
 2. A clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein saidset screws include socket heads for ease of manipulation, particularlyin tightenng.
 3. A clamp as defined in claim 1, further including a pairof socket head adjusting screws threaded through spaced apart holes insaid inner plate, located on the opposite edge of said inner plate fromsaid the gripping set screws, providing for adjustment of the spacingbetween said plates in the gripping position.
 4. A clamp as defined inclaim 1, further including pointed tipss on said gripping set screws. 5.A clamp as defined in claim 4, including corresponding set of conicalbottom holes formed along the inner edge of the clamp plate, inalignment with the pointed tips of said gripping screws, to accommodatethe pointed tips in the event they pierce the pinch weld duringapplication of the clamp.